Keno is a well known game and has been played in gaming establishments for many years. In conventional keno, there are eighty numbers in the pool of numbers that may be drawn in any one round of the game. In the typical keno game, eighty keno balls are numbered 1 through 80 and are placed in a air blower device that circulates the keno balls. Twenty of the eighty keno balls are selected each game.
Each player marks a keno ticket that is an 10.times.8 matrix having ten columns and eight rows. The keno numbers from one through eighty are printed on the keno ticket with each keno number having its own numbered spot. Prior to the start of a round of the keno game, a player selects between one and fifteen numbered spots that the player thinks will be drawn during the game. Typically a player uses a crayon-like pencil to mark the numbered spots he wishes to play on his keno ticket and the player takes his marked keno ticket to a keno station. The player makes an appropriate wager and turns in his marked keno ticket and the money at the keno station. The player receives back a stamped and receipted ticket showing the amount of the player's wager and the numbered spots that the player has selected.
The keno game operator then proceeds to draw twenty keno numbers from the eighty keno balls. Depending on the number of matches or "Hits" between the twenty keno numbers drawn and the numbered spots selected by the player, the player wins or loses. The more keno numbers that match the player's numbered spots, the higher the payoff to the player.
In a live keno game, multiple players participate in each game and no players may win, some players may win or all players may win. In traditional live keno, players may select between one and fifteen numbered spots and wagers can range from as little as 35.cent. a game to $5, $10 or even higher dollars per game. Typically each establishment operating a keno game will provide a group of keno pay tables showing the amount that it is possible for the player to win based on the amount wagered, the amount of numbered spots selected by the player and the number of matches or "Hits" achieved by the player when the twenty keno balls are selected.
For example, if the player wagers $1 and selects one numbered spot, the player will typically win $3 if his selected numbered spot is one of the twenty numbered keno balls drawn during the play of the game. Similarly, if the player selects fifteen numbered spots, the player will typically be paid if anywhere between a total of eight and fifteen of his numbered spots match the twenty numbered keno balls drawn. The highest payout will be made for matching fifteen out of fifteen, with lower payouts made for matching fourteen out of fifteen, thirteen out of fifteen and so on down to eight out of fifteen. Any matches of seven or less numbered spots are typically losing plays. Similar payout schemes are provided when the player marks between one and fifteen numbered spots during any round of a keno game.
When the player plays an electronic video keno gaming machine, a single player plays against the keno gaming machine for each round of the game and the player either wins or loses each round. The player wagers a coin, token or credit and selects the quantity of numbered spots that the player is attempting to match or "Hit" during that round of the game. All eighty numbers are displayed on a video screen with a 10.times.8 matrix similar to that of a keno ticket. The numbered spots are selected by the player using a light pen, or by pressing the numbered spots on a selection panel or by touching the numbered spots selected using conventional touch screen technology.
In the typical electronic keno format, the player may select between one and ten numbered spots to attempt to match. After the player has completed selecting the numbered spots that the player wishes to match and has made the appropriate wager, the player presses the "Start" button. This causes the electronic controls of the gaming machine to randomly select twenty keno numbers from the pool of eighty keno numbers and the selected keno numbers are displayed to the player. The electronic controls of the gaming machine determine whether the player has achieved a winning payout at the conclusion of each round of the game. Just as in live keno, the player wins when he matches or "Hits" all or a predetermined minimum number of his selected numbered spots. If the player matches less than the predetermined minimum number of his selected numbered spots, then the player loses his wager. Payouts are made by accruing credits on the credit meter of the gaming machine or dispensing coins or tokens into a payout tray.
The basic principles of the play of keno are set out in Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling, by John Scarne, at pages 490-499.
The drawback of traditional keno is that the amount of selected keno numbers is always a fixed amount, usually twenty numbers.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved keno game that offers the player the opportunity to improve his chances of winning by increasing the amount of keno numbers drawn based on the number of "Hits" achieved by the player during the play of the game.
It is a feature of the present invention that a player selects two or more numbered spots on a keno display. A predetermined amount of keno numbers are drawn from a keno number pool during the base game. For each numbered spot on the keno display that is matched by a keno number drawn from the keno number pool during the base game, an additional keno number is drawn from the keno number pool during the extra draw portion of the game. Suitable keno pay tables are provided based on the number of "Hits" achieved by the player for the number of keno numbers drawn.
It is an advantage of the present invention that a game of keno will be improved by providing the player with additional opportunities to win because additional keno numbers will be drawn for each "Hit" achieved by the player.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.